TTFN (8 page)

SnowAngel:

hiya, zo! hiya, mads!

SnowAngel:

i'm txting from our crudballs hotel. well, at least they let me borrow a phone charger from the front desk. but still. crudballs. you both there?

zoegirl:

angela!!!!! hellooooo!

mad maddie:

maddie kinnick, checking in for duty. angela: how goes it??? did u convince your dad that california sucks?

SnowAngel:

yeah, right. my dad doesn't CARE what i think.

SnowAngel:

guys … he took the job! he's starting in december!!!

mad maddie:

WHAT?

SnowAngel:

we're moving to california. we're frickin moving to california!

zoegirl:

omg, angela. in december???

SnowAngel:

dad's leaving in december. the rest of us r staying in atlanta until our house gets sold.

SnowAngel:

after that, we're gone!

mad maddie:

nooooo, u can't move! u belong here with us!

SnowAngel:

u think i don't know that?

SnowAngel:

and to add to the suckiness, my dad's boss has an awful daughter WHOM I DETEST. her name's glendy, if that doesn't say enough!

mad maddie:

glendy? sounds like a brand of toilet paper.

SnowAngel:

she IS a brand of toilet paper. she's horrible.

zoegirl:

when did you meet her?

SnowAngel:

last night, cuz we ended up having thanksgiving dinner at mr. boss's house instead of the hotel restaurant. aren't i lucky?

SnowAngel:

glendy was a freak, all big-eyed and blinky and burble-laffing every time i said anything, which was ridiculous cuz believe me i wasn't being remotely funny. she acts as if she's been homeschooled.

mad maddie:

how old is she?

SnowAngel:

she's 16 like us—not that u'd guess it cuz she's CLUELESS. she wanted to know where i got my glitter eyeshadow, and i was like, “at the store, u idiot.” i was like, “don't u know your dad is an evil selfish pig? don't u know he's stealing my life away?”

zoegirl:

oh, poor angela!

SnowAngel:

and later she was all, “after u move here, we can have sleepovers! we can give each other beauty treatments!!!” *slits wrists*

mad maddie:

so when r u coming back?

SnowAngel:

sunday. i can't wait. my mom thinks i'm being a brat cuz i'm not “appreciating this rare chance to c california,” but i could care less.

SnowAngel:

she's all, “consider this an opportunity,” but i don't want an opportunity! i just wanna be with u guys!!!

zoegirl:

okay, so you're coming back on sunday … and then what?

SnowAngel:

the whole fam is flying back to atlanta together, and then dad's gonna pack his stuff and fly out again in a week. mr. boss is gonna find him a place. after that, who knows?

SnowAngel:

oh great—chrissy's poking my shoulder and she won't stop. stupid mom told her to tell me to stop texting and get off my butt, cuz it's time to go sightseeing today with mr. boss and glendy. *holds dagger over heart*

mad maddie:

shit, angela. i'm so sorry.

zoegirl:

me too

SnowAngel:

me three!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

zoegirl:

hey, mads. i can't believe it—angela is actually moving! i hoped i'd wake up this morning and realize it was all a big mistake … but i didn't.

mad maddie:

maybe her dad will change his mind. maybe he'll come to his senses.

zoegirl:

i don't think so, maddie.

zoegirl:

god, i miss her already, and she's not even officially gone.

mad maddie:

zoe, don't

mad maddie:

just … don't.

zoegirl:

i thought maybe you'd wanna talk about it, that's all.

zoegirl:

guess i was wrong.

mad maddie:

hi, zo. i'm bored.

zoegirl:

me too

mad maddie:

wanna go meet angela at the airport?

zoegirl:

omigosh, what a great idea. she'd be so surprised!

zoegirl:

only we can't. you can't go through security unless you're a ticketed passenger.

mad maddie:

we could wait at the welcome area. wanna? we could bring flowers and candy and a balloon shaped like a unicorn.

zoegirl:

aw, mads, don't *ever* tell me you're not a big sap at heart.

zoegirl:

but yeah! let's do it!!!

SnowAngel:

k, it's official. my mother is driving me crazy. ever since we got back, she's been in a cleaning frenzy. i caught her trying to throw out a whole bag of old toys, including my complete set of My Pretty Ponies (!!!!), and all she said was, “this house is a junk heap. if i could, i'd throw it ALL away!”

mad maddie:

even the beautiful Barbie balloon your two bestest buds gave you at the airport?

SnowAngel:

well, no, not that. she thought that was very sweet, as did i.

SnowAngel:

but maddie? why did u give me a Barbie balloon?

mad maddie:

cuz the gift store was out of unicorns. anywayz, zoe said u always wanted a Barbie named after u.

mad maddie:

is your mom making u get rid of your Barbies too?

SnowAngel:

yes. AND my pound puppies.

mad maddie:

i loved those pound puppies

SnowAngel:

me 2, except for the 1 with the crusty ear from when chrissy threw up on it.

mad maddie:

wait a sec, a.

SnowAngel:

yes?

mad maddie:

something has just occurred to me, and now i'm a little disturbed. u and zoe and i started hanging out in the 7th grade … why were u still playing with Barbies and pound puppies in the 7th grade?

SnowAngel:

why were U? ur the 1 who just admitted to missing them!

mad maddie:

hmm, ya got me there

mad maddie:

not the Barbies, tho. i could give a rat's ass about Barbie—except when she's big and shiny and made of mylar.

SnowAngel:

aargh. i HATE cleaning. i would actually rather be back at school than at home right now. how sad is that?

mad maddie:

ugh, not me. every single teacher was like, “now that we've returned from thanksgiving vacation, it's time to knuckle down. only two more weeks until final exams!”

SnowAngel:

noooo, i can't handle it! too much pressure! *rips hair from head in clumps*

mad maddie:

u need a glass of nestle quik to calm u down. have u ever noticed with nestle quik how u can actually crunch the chocolatey part? u swish a sip around in your mouth, and the chocolatey crystals just beg to be crunched. it's like at the dentist's, when he says, “ok, now lightly tap your teeth together for me.” it's the exact same motion.

SnowAngel:

oh great, my MOTHER is txting me from downstairs. hold on while i see what she wants.

mad maddie:

crunch, crunch, crunch. crunch, crunch, crunch. i'm singing a little song that goes crunch, crunch, crunch.

SnowAngel:

i'm back—sorry about that.

mad maddie:

what'd your mom say?

SnowAngel:

she's such a dweeb. she's like, “hey, sweetie. i know this is stressful, but u've got to remember that it's stressful for all of us. i won't throw away any more of your junk, i promise. love ya, precious!”

mad maddie:

that's so funny that she txts u

SnowAngel:

i know

mad maddie:

it's not a bad idea, tho. hey, maybe i should suggest it to my parents. if they texted me—or better, if they texted each other—maybe they wouldn't yell so much.

SnowAngel:

i don't wanna be here. come rescue me.

mad maddie:

where do u wanna go?

SnowAngel:

i don't care. just come get me!